Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

An alarm blaring woke Izuku up from a restless slumber. He had gotten up earlier than the rest of his class for the longest time, long before he had arrived at U.A. He had to maintain his training will All Might, to become a vessel worthy of being the Ninth Holder of One for All. But right now, he had no desire greater than to simply curl up into a ball and return to his bed. He had been showing significant progress in his exercises. He was not built like All Might, but he was built nonetheless. And something inside him was eating him away like there was insects under his skin. Every time he looked in the mirror, it was as if he was facing a greater villain than he had when he had tackled Stain. 

Izuku’s tired eyes met the mirror again. He knew he needed to get dressed. Even if he wasn’t directly training with All Might today, he needed to get to the gym and maintain his workout schedule. It took his mind off of things at the least. Izuku threw on some basic black shorts, and a shirt that read ‘Work Out Shirt’, which he supposed was actually accurate.

He hadn’t expected to meet anyone on the way to the gym, but as he groggily approached the gym, he bumped into something… soft. Both he and whatever he bumped into had an arrangement with the pavement.

“Owwwwwww- oh! Hey Zuzu, good mornin!”

The muffled groan quickly transitioned into a pleasant, perky voice.

“Oof- Sorry Ashido, I wasn’t looking where I was going….” 

“Zuzu, you can call me Mina, we’re friends after all!”

She practically bounced up and offered Izuku a hand getting up.

“I wasn’t lookin where I was goin either, so I suppose we’re both to blame.”

She beamed a smile, and Izuku accepted her hand, and got up. Neither Izuku or Mina pulled out of the other’s grasp for a pregnant pause. Izuku realized he had been holding Mina’s hand for too long, and went a bright crimson red, matching Kirishima’s hair dye. He pulled his hand away.

His eyes scanned Mina, she was wearing a very similar outfit to him, same black shorts and white shirt, except with a sports brand logo instead of gimmick text. It was slightly too big for her and it showed off a basic black sports bra beneath.

“So whatcha doin up early?”

“Oh- uh, I wake up around this time every day, I’ve been doing training over in the gym, and before we moved into the dorms, I usually would go for a run.”

“Oooooooooooo- I usually do some yoga and stretches, but going for a run is probably a good idea. Need to maintain this flexibility after all-”

She quickly kicked her leg above her head, and caught it with her hand.

“Mind if I join ya Zuzu?”

Y-yes! Sounds great haha-” 

Izuku stammered and waved his hands, before trying to maintain composure at the thought of hanging out with a girl.

“Heh- You just had the thought of me hot and sweaty didntcha?”

Izuku stumbled and fell as if he had bumped into Mina again.

“Hahahahaha- I guess I know the answer now.”

She grabbed his hand and pulled him back up, looking down at him with a bright smile.

Izuku was glad that even if she was teasing, Mina was here to help him out of his depressive episode.

…

“Fuckin- heck… Zuzu if you wanted to see me sweaty you got your wish”

Mina had made it about a quarter of Izuku’s normal run distance before she pulled him aside onto a bench so she could take a breather. She was sweating bullets, her top had been nearly entirely soaked through. Izuku did his best not to stare. He knew that with a girl like Mina, he’d never hear the end of the teasing.

“S-sorry Mina… It’s an intense workout routine. H-here, take this.”

Izuku passed her a water bottle. Mina took one short swig and then promptly squeezed the bottle over her head, spraying water over herself.

“Mi-MINA?!”

“... That was a much dumber idea than I thought. I just wanted to cool myself off-”

She shook her head in a manner similar to a dog, shaking water off- and onto Izuku. 

“Sorry if I splashed ya a bit there Zuzu.”

“I-it’s no problem, I brought you out here… But um. Mina… Your shirt-”

Mina’s shirt had been entirely soaked through, fusing her top and sports bra beneath. The cheap white fabric went see-through, leaving nothing to the imagination. 

Mina’s face flushed, which Izuku needed to suppress a giggle at, as she simply got more pink.

“Wow Zuzu- you perv you’re staring at me all hot and wet like this-”

“I-IT’S NOT LIKE THAT-”

“Hehehehe, I’m jokin I’m jokin- you’re just too cute when you’re flustered-”

“C-cute?”

A new sensation washed over Izuku. He’d been called handsome by a few of his classmates, and manly by others, but those always caused a twinge of… sadness. This was. Something else. This was pure euphoria.

“Yea Zuzu, you’re cute. If we gotcha in somethin cute, you’d fit into our girl’s club no issue!”

“D-do you really think so?”

“Hmm? Zuzu-”

“I mean- I know it’s possible. We trained with Tiger and the rest of the PussyCats, but it’s fairly common knowledge about his transition, and he’s still a great pro hero whose loved by countless people. Maybe I could be the same. Oh man this is something I hadn’t even thought of.”

Izuku rambled out quickly, putting pieces together in her brain.

“Woah woah woah, slow your roll there Zuzu. I think I caught, ‘trained, pussy, and transition’ in there-”

“Oh um. Sorry. I’ve just been um. Working things out in my head…”

Izuku could swear he saw a loading bubble appear next to Mina’s head. And then she dinged.

“OH! I see! Wanna be a girl Zuzu?”

“A-am I allowed?”

“Of course! All the girls are sweeties, you should know, you’ve probably been sleepin with all of them other than poor lil ol me-”

She teased her with a mock pout.

“MINA!!!!”

“Heheh. You’re such a cinnamon roll Zuzu. So cute. Even cuter as a girl-”

“W-wait I haven’t even changed anything-”

“Still cuter. Look atcha.”

Mina pinched Izuku’s cheeks and then played with her face in her hands. 

“We should get to the locker rooms, I need to get changed, and so do you- I got some spare stuff you should try-”

…

Very few of her classmates were awake at the moment, but Izuku was flush red at Mina, still soaking wet, physically dragging them into the dorms, past Shinso and Denki with wide eyes. Denki pouring a glass of juice for himself managed to overfill his glass uncaring, as he watched Mina pull Izuku into the girl’s locker room. Shinso had dropped his coffee cup clean on the floor, only getting out of his shock with the sound of the mug breaking.

“... I liked that mug.”

“I’m just shocked. I would’ve expected Izu to end up with like. Ochaco or that Melissa girl he was with before.”

“Personally my bet was always Jiro.”

“Oooooo going for the sleeper pick., I can see it Shinso.”

“Shame, if no girl acted by the end of this year, I would’ve done it myself.”

Denki looked at Shinso with a smirk.

“Oh bisexual too? Based.”

Shinso looked back at Denki with a warm smile, which nearly killed the poor boy, not used to seeing the emo like this.

…

“Mina- I- I can’t be in here you know that-”

Izuku was a mess covering her eyes.

“Nope, you’re a girl, you’re allowed in here, besides we gotta get you all dolled up!”

Mina stripped off her wet clothes and a devilish grin crossed her face.

“Hey Zuzu- you’re good to open your eyes.”

She smirked as she watched the new girl slowly open their eyes and slowly look over her body. It took a moment before Izuku fully took in the sight before her, and she promptly screamed.

“M-MINA! Y-YOU’RE NOT DECENT-”

“I know right? I’m not Momo, but I’d say I’m more big than average, or decent if you prefer that word~”

Mina was having too much fun with the poor girl, who nearly fainted. Mina finished laughing to herself before continuing.

“Alright Zuzu, it’s your turn. You’re a girl now and I gotta help ya!”

“H-help?”

“Well I gave ya that show since you’re gonna need to strip for me- We gotta get you showered and shaved before we getcha in these-”

Mina presented a pair of pink lace panties to the girl, who then fainted for real.

…

“F-father above Midoriya…”

Mina’s eyes went wide at the sight before her. She knew Izuku was ripped before today, too many times had her shirt been torn off while fighting, but oh boy. That did NOT compare to what came on the bottom half.

“I think the boys are jealous that there’s a girl bigger than all of them-”

Mina’s face was a mix of nervousness, and… Izuku hoped it wasn’t lust. Well. Part of them hoped it was lust.

“Alright so, we’re gonna be using my products, gotta condition that hair of yours. It’s curly like mine so it should go perfectly-”

“A-are you sure that’s alright?”

“No worries, I got loads of this stuff imported. Not many curly haired freaks like us in Japan.”

Mina giggled as her and Izuku slowly settled into being comfortable in the showers together.

Mina’s hands were gentle as she shampooed Izuku’s curls, it was like a massage to the head.

“I see you get bad tangles too- I know a perfect brand of brush that works for our curls…”

Izuku was so genuinely happy to hear Mina talk so happily about stuff like this. And that she could learn it. And above all, she was glad Mina was here to be a friend to her when she needed it.

Izuku shuddered at Mina’s touch as the cool shaving cream was spread onto her. Mina smirked as she lingered extra long over Izuku’s delicates, bringing the poor girl back to her blush.

“Glad I can still tease ya with no issue~”

Mina softly treated Izuku, showing how to properly shave on one leg, before Izuku followed their instructions on the other. Before long, the two of them had rid Izuku of all their body hair, and Izuku was only slightly more scarred than before. Razors suck. 

They rinsed off, and towelled themselves off, Mina showing how to wrap the towel ‘like a girl’ around Izuku’s body.

And then as they exited the showers they walked into a locker room full of all the girls.

“Well…” Mina started

“Shit.” Izuku finished.

Chapter Text

It took approximately 0.63 seconds for Izuku to hit the floor, hyperventilating.

“M-MIDORIYA?! MINA?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

Uraraka’s voice is probably the one Izuku was dreading the most, so getting it out of the way was probably for the best for the girl having a panic attack.

“M-Mina, Midoriya, you know this is highly inappropriate behavior-”

Momo was blushing wildly as she scolded the two.

“Kero. Give them a chance to speak kero. Izuku wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Tsuyu looked moderately annoyed at the girls in the locker room. She’d been saved by Izuku in the past, and knew that they weren’t just some pervert in here.

“Thanks Tsu- Jeez you guys need to get your minds out of the gutter- imagining me and Zuzu all huddled up in the showers like that-”

Izuku, still in their broken flustered state, appeared to have a full body spasm.

“Get up sis, we gotta explain stuff to the other girls-”

Mina dragged Izuku by the arm to one of the locker room benches, and effortlessly tossed them on top of one, sliding beside Izuku herself.  Izuku was covering her eyes and shaking profusely, as if she had just been naked in the freezing rain. Meanwhile, she had been naked in a very warm shower with a very warm Mina. 

“Uh uh- Nope. Zuzu, put those hands away. You gotta look, considering you’re gonna be in here every day-”

“WH-WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE’LL BE IN HERE EVERY DAY?”

Uraraka tried to cover herself up more, quickly pulling a towel over her scantily clad body.

“Jeez, sending the poor boy through the ringer huh? You could at least do it in a less public setting-”

Toru’s body language indicated she was shaking her head, even if they couldn’t see it.

“Toru, Ochan- please do not misgender our friend here!”

Mina puffed up her chest and cheeks, poutily protesting them calling Izuku a boy. The rest of the girls looked confused, aside from Jiro who was just smirking to herself.

“I-I-I-” Izuku stuttered, unable to catch the words as thoughts formed in her head. “M-Mi-Mina was- was showing me how- how to-”

“I’m showing them how to be a girl!”

Jiro’s smirk evolved to a cackle as the other girls looked at Izuku and Mina on the bench.

“Kero? What do you mean?”

“I must admit, I am quite confused here-”

“Izuku looking at me here…” 

Uraraka seemed more preoccupied with her own thoughts.

“Without me Mina?”

Toru seemed more upset that they missed out on playing dress up with the new girl.

“I-I’m transgender-” Izuku spat out. “I-I think I’m more co-comfortable as a girl-”

Jiro jumped up and pumped her fist in the air.

“FUCK YEAH! SERO AND KAMINARI OWE ME $20! I CALLED THAT SHIT!”

“Language Jiro-” 

Momo shook her head at the girl’s enthusiastic reaction.

Izuku was practically vibrating from shaking in her seat. Mina sighed and took the lead.

“I noticed Zuzu’s been acting a bit more distant for a while, and I invited them on a run. I called them a cute girl and suddenly everything clicked and they were basically bouncing off the walls realizing that made them happy.”

Jiro came crashing down from the high of winning her bet.

“Well, you’re not wrong. Greenie could make for a damn good girl.”

Izuku blushed heavily behind her hands. Jiro took notice instantly.

“Oh you like that Greenie? You like being called a good girl?~”

Jiro sauntered up to Izuku’s side and leaned in close to whisper into her ear. Izuku was clinging to Mina for dear life.

“Oh she’s gonna be fun to play with. Thanks for breaking her out of her shell Mina. And thank you for telling us, Greenie.”

Jiro patted the top of Izuku’s head with one of her jacks.

“NEW GIRL! NEW GIRL! NEW GIRL!”

Toru was bouncing in place, jumping in joy at the thought of a new girl in their class, even if that new girl was already in their class.

“I-I-I admit this is a lot to take in Izu… but I support you all the way!”

Ochaco blushed a furious red and nervously smiled before pumping her fist in support.

“A-Ah. My apologies Midoriya. I wasn’t aware of your situation. I am willing to provide you any help you need, and I can make you any clothing you are too uncomfortable to shop for.”

Momo smiled down at the girl, her green hair and eyes clashing with a body entirely flush with red blush. 

“Ah! Wait, I’m gonna need you guys’s help! We’ll need to teach her makeup and fashion and stuff! But first-”

Mina bounced out of her seat on the bench and grabbed several very pink items from her locker.

“We get to dress her up!”

Izuku looked up and her eyes met Mina’s devilish grin. Looking slightly down, she gulped upon seeing the pink lace set Mina was holding.

Chapter Text

Izuku was very, VERY glad that Mina had chosen to cut the poor girl some slack and allow her to change in a stall, instead of in front of all the girls. They were still internally reeling from Mina seeing every part of them, not an inch uncovered. But they were thankful Mina was by their side to help them with the struggle of equipping a bra.

“Sports bras are typically more my speed since they’re a lot more simple and my fingers fidget a lot- but you need the full girl experience and deserve to feel pretty-”

Mina talked Izuku’s ear off as she helped Izuku clasp the pieces together.

“Is this what I do to people? No it can’t be- Mina is so cute when she’s enthusiastic like this- that can’t be like me…”

“Now Zuzu, I know a few other trans peeps, so I have a little bit of knowledge here, and this mayyyyyy be uncomfortable, but turn around and let me help you tuck everything up-”

“T-tuck everything up?”

Izuku stammered, and was incredibly hesitant to face her. Mina got on her knees behind Izuku and forcibly turned her around, which prompted a smack in her face that was not from either of Izuku’s hands.

“... Ow. I deserve that-”

Mina’s normally pink cheeks flushed somewhere between lilac and mulberry and she shook her head.

“S-sorry about that Zuzu- but yeah. The beast needs to be tamed before it can fit in these-”

Mina presented the pink panties again.

“Soooooo here, this is medical tape, and um. If you’re uncomfortable with anything I’m doing here just let me know-”

Izuku fidgeted as Mina’s soft hands caressed parts of her only she’d ever touched. Mina managed to pack everything in snug, which allowed Izuku to effortlessly slide into the panties. Mina let out a long whistle.

“Wow Zuzu- you clean up well. Nobody would be able to tell ya got an extra foot hidden.”

“I-it’s not that-”

“I’ll measure it later- anyways let’s go see the girls.”

Izuku dreaded both the now, and the later. Well. She was a little excited. Mainly at the thought of being alone and intimate with Mina again-

“Nope! No brain! Stop it! Not allowed-”

…

Mina was kind enough to let Izuku take a moment to look over herself. She stared in the mirror, her eyes meeting the girl in the glass. Izuku struggled looking themself in the mirror for so long, but today, it was easy. She twirled one of her curls as she idly looked at the pink undies against her pale skin. Pink lace met her stark white skin, her purple and red scars, her black bruises. Izuku was littered with marks all over. She hated her freckles that littered her shoulders and upper chest. But today… it all blended seamlessly together. Instead of her body looking like a battlefield, it was a galaxy of stars. Izuku smiled. Her body was her home again.

She stepped out of the stall and was met with a very proud Mina, and the stunned stares of the 1-A girls.

“I told ya she cleaned up well!”

Mina was bouncing up and down, which given she still had yet to get dressed, was a sight that had Izuku’s poor mind racing.

“Kero. If you told me she was born a girl, I’d believe it kero.”

Tsuyu offered a warm smile.

“Kyo you were right, Midoriya is quite a pretty girl.”

Momo smirked, hiding her smile and blush behind her hand clasped over her mouth.

“She’s got a girlier frame than me. Lucky duck.”

Kyouka teased Izuku with a light punch to the shoulder.

Ochaco was unable to speak, clearly fighting having her eyes dart between Izuku’s chest and crotch. It was very noticable. Izuku instinctively covered herself up, one arm over her chest, one hand over her privates.

“Girls, you're embarrassing her- but she is really such a cutieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~”

Tooru was invisibly bouncing off the walls.

“T-th-thanks ev-everyone. M-Mina th-thank you for- for your help.”

“There's that cute lil stutter of yours! I was missing it.”

Mina smiled at the blushing greenie.

“Okay now- lets getcha into the girl’s uniform, and then we’ll let the teachers know- you should be comfy here!”
“M-MINA- A-are you sure that- that’s a good idea?”

“Yup! Nobody will give you any issues! And if they do- acid.”

Her cheerful demeanor dropped and there was, for lack of a better phrase, an Aizawa level glare in her eyes as she threatened the hypothetical bigots.

“Anyways- skirt time!”

…

The girls dolled up Izuku, making her look like a hypothetical little sister of the boy previously known as Izuku Midoriya.

“I should really think of a new name… Maybe I should ask Midnight sensei… or maybe Mina… she has been so helpful… And nice… and sweet… and cute…”

Izuku’s spiral of thoughts abruptly stopped as the girls squealed.

“You’re such a cutie greenie!”

Even Kyouka was bouncing with delight.

“Give us a spin in that skirt!”

“Spin?”

“Yeah! It’s like the best part of them!”

Izuku spun herself once, feeling the air around her lifting the flare of the skirt. She felt like she was free. She giggled. She spun herself again. And again and again. She was giggling like a schoolgirl, because she was. She felt so good. She felt absolutely weightless as she spun herself like a top. However given how she was following directions, most would assume she was not a top-. But then she realized. She was weightless- She was floating above the ground. Above the girls. Who were looking right up-

“EEP!”

Izuku clasped her hands over her skirt, pinning the fabric between her legs.

“Nono, that was a nice view Zuzu- you should show off more-”

Tooru teased and Mina nodded an agreement.

“O-Ochaco did you touch me-”

Izuku was a blushing mess.

“Nonononononono- I swear!”

“Oh really? Why’s she floatin’ then huh?”
Kyouka taunted, pointing her jacks accusatory at Ochaco. 

“I swear- I wouldn’t touch her without permission.”

“H-how did I get up here then?…”

“Y-you just kinda. Started floating…”

“Oh shoot Nana-”

“Ri-right. Float! Deactivate!”

Izuku dropped before being caught by Tsuyu.

“Th-thanks Tsu.”

“Float?”

“Quirk mutation…”

“What else is hidden in that body of yours Midoriya…”

Momo scrunched her face, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Ohhhh~ Wouldn’t you like to know~ It’s pretty great~”

Mina teased, all the other girls becoming as red as Kirishima’s hair dye.

…

Izuku and the girls bounced out of the girls locker room, met with the sight of Shinso and Kaminari…

“Right… forgot they were here…”

“... we can explain-”

Chapter Text

Mina was teasing her.

That is all Izumi could possibly think about. Even after an a fairly emotional week, coming out to her mom, who supported her fully and helped her pick out her new name (it was actually intended to be her name prior to being born male), the fear and anxiousness of coming out to the rest of her class as well as her teachers, and the physical stress of moving all her stuff to the girl’s dorms, Izumi was too restless to sleep at night. All she could think about was what Mina had been doing throughout the week.

It started small, Mina had insisted on helping Izumi pick out some new outfits from her own wardrobe. Izumi had still worn her novelty shirts, they were quite comfortable, even going as far as to adding more female-centric items to her collection like “skirt” “dress” and “bikini”, but Mina still helped her significantly to manage a style otherwise. Then it escalated to Mina insisting she do her hair, as according to her:

“You clearly cannot be trusted to take proper care of your luscious curls.”

Mina wasn’t fully wrong there, her hair had never felt so soft and lively in her life. Turns out 3in1 shampoos were hell on earth. She’d never make that mistake again. But Mina taking care of her hair required them to shower and bathe together, of which Mina was too excited to do. Izumi’s full body was flushed the whole time each time. Mina insisted on lathering Izumi up fully, softly tracing the girl’s pale skin with each soapy scrub. Izumi was way way WAY too much of a nervous wreck to come to terms with how much she enjoyed the way Mina moved her body so she could do whatever she needed, the way she’d tug at her hair to keep her from looking away, the way she’d pull the girl’s hands away from her face so she couldn’t hide away. 

And then there were the teases throughout the day as well. One would assume seeing the girl naked nightly in order to shower would be the worst of it, but no. The subtle and sneaky teases got Izumi so, SO much more. Watching TV in the common room, with Mina gently stroking Izumi’s leg as she sat beside her. A sock clad foot smoothly rubbing against Izumi’s leg beneath the girl’s desk in class. Mina INSISTING on changing next to Izumi in the locker room each day, flaunting everything next to her, just demanding her attention, only to smirk and wink any time she caught Izumi looking. By far the worst was the time the whole class was studying at a round table in the lunchroom after school, Mina dropping a pencil, and as Izumi went to pick it up for her, she was met with Mina’s spread legs and nothing beneath her skirt. She had to get escorted to Recovery Girl’s office after knocking herself out when she bumped her head in shock. When Chiyo asked what happened, all she could do was giggle and pat Izumi on the head.

“Ah, teenage romance. What a lovely time that was.”

Izumi swore she was blush more than she was pale these days. Sometimes Mina would do something small like whispering “good girl” in her ear in the middle of class, leaving her literally smoking out of the ears. She didn’t fully understand WHY the smoke was purple, but she assumed it may be another part of One For All acting up. She heard faint laughter anytime it happened. Mainly from Nana, but from a few others too. 

As painful and embarrassing as the teases could be however, she appreciated it a lot. While her transition socially had gone well overall, there were still quite a few hurdles. Most of her class was there for her, but as expected Bakugo was less than pleased with the change, to the point it actually soured his friendships with Mina and Jirou. Mineta was insufferable as always, first claiming Izumi wasn’t a real girl, then trying to creep on her a moment later. Mina comforted Izumi after it happened the first time, the girl crying in one of the locker room stalls after their first gym class. Ojiro was a surprising one to be sure, but he just mainly scoffed and wrinkled his nose at her. At least he was quietly hateful. However in 1B she faced no issues at all, which she figured may pose issues with the devout religious Ibara, however the girl smiled and revealed she was transgender too.

“Midoriya, love, the way I see it, and the way my parents told me when I had first started questioning my own self and my faith is that God gifted us with grapes and not wine, so that we too can take part in the joy of creation. Our lives and identities are just him allowing us to take part in that blessing.”

Ibara actually became a fast friend of Izumi in the meantime, chatting together during lunch occasionally, and promising to garden together in the future. And Izumi was more than happy to learn more about Ibara’s quirk, and the girl was eager to share. 

The teachers were immediately accepting of Izumi as well, with Midnight joking about how she was gonna take Izumi under her wing as the next R18 hero (Izumi briefly imagined this and fainted, both because of thinking about herself in Midnight’s outfits, but also because she’d get to work alongside Midnight!! That was one of her favorite heroes as a kid! [and God, that probably should have been a sign]). Present Mic, as the teacher who led the LGBT club at the school was more than happy to invite Izumi to join them, and less than subtly added the transgender flag to his wall of flags in the classroom. Izumi could’ve sworn that even Eraserhead was kinder to her now!

But again, all of this, crying to her mom in an emotional episode and the happy tears of acceptance as her mom accepted her, her new friendships with classmates and the love of her teachers all was a haze in the background. All she could think about was Mina. She eventually found herself drifting to sleep, phone right beside her, considering texting her late at night.

…

“Kid. You gotta ask her out.”

Izumi was startled as she woke up in a black void with a, frankly stunning, woman in front of her. 

“Well thank you, Nine, but we gotta have a girl talk real quick.”

Izumi looked around frantically, as it was just her and this woman in the void, and currently she had no mouth which to speak with.

“Oh yeah. We’re in One For All right now, I’m Nana Shimura, you’ve used my quirk Float when getting teased before. However! More important than One For All- You gotta ask out that girl you like!”

Izumi’s eyes popped wide open and she shook her head like a dog shaking off water. Nana cupped the girl’s cheek in her hand and made her look up at her.

“Nine. I’m the only one in One For All who ever married. And my biggest regret was leaving everything behind to fight in an endless war. I know Toshi’s biggest regret is never settling down too. And the thing is kid, time is short. Sometimes we gotta take risks for nice things. And you deserve it love. You’ve been through a hell of a lot. More than any kid should. So you should take the chance dear. I think you’ll be really happy.”

Izumi thought for a moment then looked to Nana and nodded. Nana pet her head.

“Good luck Nine. You’re gonna be waking up soon. Don’t leave her waiting.”

…

Izumi woke up in the middle of the night in a sweat. She didn’t fully know if what she just saw was real, but she chose to follow her heart regardless. She’d need to do it tomorrow though as it was late. Izumi got up out of bed to go get some water from the kitchen. As she walked down, she found Mina was actually up too, getting water as well.

“Oh! Hey Zuzu, odd to see you up this late. Usually you’re more responsible than people like me.”

Mina joked out and Izumi giggled a little. Izumi fiddled with the edges of her sleepshirt. She wanted to jump in and just ask Mina, but maybe it was too late? Maybe now was a terrible time. Maybe she was just misreading and everything was just a prank and she was just teasing her like Kacchan used to but in a lot less painful of a way-

“Hello? Earth to Zumi, you still in there hun?”

Mina playfully knocked on Izumi’s forehead and knocked her out of her spiral.

“Looks like somethin’s on your mind, anything you’d wanna share?”

Izumi clenched her fists and closed her eyes and tensed, as if expecting to be struck as she asked:

“I-I like you a lot Mina and I wanted to a-ask you if you wanna be girlfriends?”

Mina jumped and cheered a little before kissing the still tense Izumi on the lips.

“YAY! Oh my gosh I was worrying you’d never ask! Of course I wanna be girlfriends, you’re like the cutest and so much fun!”

Izumi let go of her breath she was holding in, and let herself relax. Then she pulled in Mina for a kiss of her own.

Things were pretty great.